The Provost's Lecture Series on Women in Leadership: Dr. Ruth A. David

Tuesday, April 8, 2014 –
(
4:00 pm to
5:00 pm )

Location: Babbio 122

ABSTRACT: Yogi Berra is quoted as having said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” That is a reasonable summation of a career that had its beginnings on a farm in Kansas and led to a leadership position for a nonprofit corporation whose mission is: “Informing decisions that shape the Nation’s future.” This talk will summarize key lessons learned along the way—and will share some of the potholes encountered that helped reinforce those lessons.

BIOGRAPHY: In 1998, Dr. Ruth David was appointed president and chief executive officer of Analytic Services Inc., an independent, not-for-profit, public service institute that provides research and analytic support on national and transnational issues. In 1999 she initiated the corporation’s Homeland Defense Strategic Thrust to address the growing national concern of multi-dimensional, asymmetric threats from rogue nations, sub-state terrorist groups, and domestic terrorism; she formally created the ANSER Institute for Homeland Security in May 2001 to enhance public awareness and contribute to the dialog on a national, state, and local level. In 2004 the corporation was selected by the Department of Homeland Security to establish the legislatively mandated Homeland Security Institute (HSI). Today the corporation operates two business units—ANSER, which supports clients in the National Security, Homeland Defense, and Public Safety sectors; and HSSAI, a federally funded research and development center dedicated to Homeland Security—as well as the ASysT Institute, a collaborative endeavor initiated in 2007 to advance the application of systems thinking principles to critical national issues.

SERIES: The Provost’s Lecture Series on Women in Leadership is designed to showcase prominent and successful women in leadership positions and motivate the next generation of women leaders. It is intended to highlight the success of women in leadership as well as women who are visionaries and provide an opportunity for those who have been successful to share their individual experiences and to analyze the unique strengths, challenges and opportunities facing women.